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There are a number of things that a new home buyer needs to arrange when buying a home. One thing that should be considered high on the priority list is hiring the right home inspector. Some buyers and sellers are not familiar with the process. Many times they turn to their real estate agent for a referral or guidance. This can be ok sometimes and a disaster other times. Why? Not all the Idaho home inspectors are created equal. Many (in fact most) buyers are not aware that a home inspector in the state of Idaho does not need to be licensed. In fact, they are not even regulated. Unlike Realtors who must be licensed, associated with a licensed broker (if not one themselves), members of an organization and are regulated by the state, not one home inspector is required to do any of those things. This is why I am writing this article. Hopefully, many buyers and sellers will learn some of the things to consider when hiring an inspector. Ok, so you found the perfect home (by the way the perfect home with no defects does NOT exist). Now what? The Realtor will tell you to get an inspection. The next decision you make could be a game changer. Sometimes your Realtor will either make a suggestion for a home inspector or directly refer and set up a home inspection for you without much input from you. Some referred inspectors are good and some are not. You should definitely ask your Realtor a few questions (do not be afraid- this is your biggest purchase and your money) about their referred home inspector. 1) How long does he take to do an inspection?- As a rule of thumb the average 1500-2000 sq ft home should take about 2.5-3 hours to inspect. Anything less, such as 1-1.5 hours, is a definite RED FLAG. I do not care how "good" they think they are, a home is not inspected right in 1 hour. 2) What organization do they belong too? Make sure they are a member of one of the big 3- InterNachi, ASHI or NAHI. These organizations have some strict guidlines and educational/testing requirements. 3) What kind of Guarantee or Warranty is offered? Most of the top companies will offer a Service Guarantee Refund of some sort and a Home Warranty of some sort. This is just above and beyond and shows a little higher level of service 4) Fee can be a concern, but be careful not to read to much into it, and you should always shop around, even if your Realtor is pushing you to use their guy (which also can be a RED FLAG). You may still end up going with theirs, but some are way over priced and do nothing while others are lower and do more. So shopping and research is important. Again, always ask each company the questions and do not allow yourself to get strong armed into an inspection by anyone. 5) Check Reviews: This is probably one of the best ways to see what the inspector has done in the past. Many inspection companies have no reviews. Why? You would think someone who does a great job would get good reviews somewhere. The fact is many companies Live off Realtors and maybe do not feel a need to advertise or get reviews. I offer you this.. I want my clients to tell others how I did because I get most of my business from referrals of past clients and advertising. If a home inspection company is entirely dependent upon the Real Estate agents to keep the work coming, then you may not be getting the impartial independent home inspection that you thought. The fact is, you are responsible for the decision of who to use or not to use. You are the one who will be living in the home long after the Agent, the Lender, the Appraiser and the inspector are gone. You will have to make the payments, along with, making repairs and doing maintenance. A little research and control of the hiring process can make a big difference between being happy about your purchase or regretting it every single day.

If you would like more information on home inspections or booking a home inspection in Boise Idaho, visit us @ www.7countyhomeinspection.com or call 208-982-5335